With TLG's acquisition of the Marvel license for half of their Super Heroes sets comes a fan-favorite (aren't they all?) X-Men set. Well, the only X-Men set. Wolverine comes clawed and Deadpool comes manic (and Magneto comes...magnetic). Read on to find out reporter ChocolateFrogs' thoughts on the details of the set, and see if even past its perfect average price to piece ratio and the awesome minifigs if this set is worth it.

An X-Men set is definitely a welcome addition to the Marvel set lineup, but there is one problem: simply an X-Men set. With a team roster longer than Batman's enemies, of which we are getting plenty with the DC Super Heroes, there is lots of room for expansion. But, as one Mr. Hinkle told the BZP staff over dinner after BrickFair, these sets' features are produced at Marvel's suggestion, and they need to know the fans will buy more X-Men sets if they are to be incarnated.

PresentationFrom the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.

The box is about the standard size of a $20 set. Flashy pictures, shiny logos, character action. And of course an age suggestion and piece count falling in among the other usual bits.

Furthermore, the back shows us features such as flick-fire missiles, rotating helicopter blades, and some friendly rivalry between Deadpool and Wolverine. With this clash of villain, anti-hero, and mercenary in one set, it's anyone's bet as to who will come out on top.

BuildingHalf the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?

Among the polybags full of pieces, 201 of them to be precise, plus extras, are the instructions and a small “comic adventure,” which is not a bad idea for what is, after all, a comic-book series. The pieces are mainly a mix of dark red, dark grey, and black. The minifig parts are thrown into separate bags, so opening each one is required to get to them. (At BrickFair, I found out this new policy was to prevent thieves from opening boxes and taking out the one bag that had all the figs in it.)

The set comes together nicely. Mostly a studs-up approach, it has a few tricks to give it a nice shape that I have not seen in a LEGO helicopter before, like the curved front, the missile wings, and the cockpit that has an easy to remove top for inserting minifigs.

Set DesignNow that the set is complete, we can critique how it looks from every angle. New or interesting pieces can also be examined here.

One of the best parts about building this set is just admiring the nice flow of colors and pieces used, like how Deadpool's katanas are, for some reason, inserted into the side wings of the helicopter. And right next to them are some flick-fire missiles, which are able to rotate up and down for acquiring their target. And the nice long rotors spin nicely.

And the minifigs! The real reason you bought this set: The Deadpool fig. What's that? You bought it for Wolverine? Wrong. Well, maybe partially correct, but the fact that Deadpool appears in a set for a comic title he barely belongs to shows that the true target audience was for fans of the Merc with a Mouth.

But no matter which fig you wanted, the set does not disappoint. Magneto has the “hood ornament” on his helmet, Wolverine has not only his signature claws and hair style but the detail of his mask hanging from his neck onto his back, and Deadpool has his belt buckle and expressionless face.

Finally, fully assembled, motorcycle, copter, and figs, what comes out is a solid set to tease the X-Men fans about future potential in the theme.

PlayabilityThe other half of the fun is in playing with the set. How well does the set function and is it enjoyable to play with.

The biggest downfall of the set is its play features. The helicopter is not much to look at if just sitting on a shelf as part of a collection (but luckily it has plenty of cool figs to make up for it), and the rotating blades and flick-fire missiles are nothing much. Having another motorcycle to add to one's collection is always nice, but it does not do much. At best, a fig can sit in the cockpit and another in the back while they chase the third fig to a nice place for a fight.

Final ThoughtsOnce it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?

The pieces are nice and figs are cool. The helicopter can be scrapped for pieces, and which amounts to some new loot for your collection. But the figs are what makes the set stand out.

With a nice price to piece ratio of about $.10 each, and at only $20, it technically will not hurt your wallet too much, especially when the trade off is a cool Deadpool fig and a long-awaited Wolverine fig. Oh and Magneto.

ProsWhat's to like?

Deadpool

Wolverine

Nice pieces

Good price-to-piece ratio

Supports the X-Men theme to hopefully get more!

ConsWhat's not to like?

Helicopter is meh

Play functions are lacking

As with any set, it just depends on what you want to take from it and what it is worth to you. As a long-standing X-Men fan myself, I just had to get it, especially after seeing those minifigs! I was pleasantly surprised at the number of dark red pieces that are in it, as well as the long black curved slopes. Everything about this set will be a nice addition to my collection.

Remember, if Deadpool shoots you in the leg, it means he loves you. If he kills you, well, tough luck.